Extreme heat events in the U.S. can lead to loss of productivity at construction sites during summer, according to www.bisnow.com.
During July, much of the U.S. has had temperatures approaching and exceeding triple digits, with humidity making those days seem even hotter. The National Weather Service reports June was the world’s hottest on record, and a Pennsylvania State University climate scientist says July could be the hottest month ever recorded on Earth.
During summer heat waves, construction companies pay closer attention to the health of their workers at construction sites, offering them more breaks, providing shade and water, and adjusting work hours so employees can perform certain tasks overnight.
However, this reportedly can lead to lost productivity on an active construction project and cost an owner up to $250,000 because of labor, leased equipment and contractual penalties.
“Climate change is driving a lot of debate,” says Vantis Co-founder Ryan Ware. “But for construction, it’s driving a lot of costs.”
NOAA climate scientist Karin Gleason says extreme heat events in the U.S. now are occurring three times more often per year than during the 1960s. These events cause complications beyond costs for the construction industry, including increasing incidents of heat-related illnesses, such as heatstroke. In a study published last year in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers found the construction industry accounted for 36.8% of all heat-related deaths in the U.S.
Urban Land Institute Executive Director of the Center for Sustainability and Economic Performance Billy Grayson says there is a clear correlation to climate change and changes in the construction industry’s behavior—not only regarding manpower but also construction materials.
“Extreme heat can delay construction projects due to the need for specific building materials to cool or cure,” Grayson says. “If these products can’t solidify at the right timing for the project, it can cause significant delays.”
